


December 10th

by GhostOfNoah



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Baby Neil, Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 04:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13139136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostOfNoah/pseuds/GhostOfNoah
Summary: a nightmare of Christmas past wakes Neil in the middle of the night





	December 10th

_“Nathaniel would you hurry up please, Christmas will have come and gone if you go any slower!”_

_Mary Hartford’s voice carried up the grand staircase, through the carpeted hallways and into nine year old Nathan’s bedroom._

_The small boy, with icy blue eyes and hair like fire, sat hunched over his desk wrapping a box furiously. Inside the box, and intricately made, was a hand carved and painted carousel horse._

_He remembered his mother telling him of her childhood in England when the lights were out and he was tucked away from his father. He’d used his library time as school to trace out pictures from books before collecting a piece of wood from his fathers backyard firewood stash. He knew the consequences if he were to get caught but somehow it was worth it._

_Placing the final piece of tape on his carefully folded corner he inspected it one final time._

_“Nathaniel!”_

_“I’m coming!” He yelled back. Tucking the box under his arm he bolted from his room and down the stairs. He ran past Mary, through the foyer and out into the driveway._

_He could hear her call out for him but he knew his time frame was small and he wasn’t stupid enough to give it to her in the house. Mary followed him out with an exasperated sigh, DiMaccio following obediently behind her to the parked car in the drive._

_The second the door opened for him, he dove in curling around the gift protectively. DiMaccio took the Driver’s seat and Mary slid in the back beside Nathaniel._

_“What is that?” she asked carefully._

_“It’s a gift for my teacher.” he lied._   
_Mary didn’t miss the way DiMaccio’s eyes watched them from the review mirror._   
_The drive to St-Jude Elementary was a quick one and as usual, Mary got out of the car to walk him up to his classroom. But this time DiMaccio stopped her._

_“I’ve been instructed to take him in today, Mrs.” He said flatly._

_Nathaniel’s heart dropped to the floor and Mary’s grip on his arm tightened. He had planned it so well. He had made up this silly lie, and he was going to give it to her when they went in. Of course he knew she couldn’t keep it, his father would never allow it, but he wouldn’t have known and she would have and that’s all that mattered. But now?_

_Nathaniel got out of the car, holding the wrapped box with small shaking hands. Mary watched him helplessly, her blood boiling._

_Nathaniel blended in to the crowd of students eager for Christmas break, it was DiMaccio who stood out towering in a smooth black suit. They had made it past the entrance and out of Mary’s line of sight when DiMaccio stopped him._

_“Give it here. You know the rules.”_

_Nathaniel fought to keep his tears from spilling over but quickly lost that battle upon handing the box up to DiMaccio._

_“It was just for my Mom…It wouldn’t have hurt anyone.” he sniffed._

_DiMaccio took the box and tucked it under his arm, ruffling Nathaniel’s hair on his way out of the building choosing not to say anything._

It was the memory of that night ending and the hard punch in his gut from his father that had him sitting up in his bed with an involuntary shout. 

He looked around frantically, his breathing erratic. His room. Neil’s. Not Nathaniel’s. His face was wet with tears, his blankets twisted around his legs. 

“Neil.” 

The name reached him from the open doorway where Andrew stood, coffee mug in hand. His brow was furrowed in concern and it only deepened when Neil wiped his tears away quickly. He kicked his blankets off and climbed down from his loft bed to follow Andrew into the living room. 

It was his second Christmas with The Foxes and they had decided to all stay in this time, given the climate of last year nobody had trusted Neil alone. Tomorrow they would leave for Abby’s and the dorms would close for the season. 

“Why are you still up?” Neil asked, climbing onto the couch. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Andrew replied vaguely, pouring Neil his own cup of coffee. He had a sinking feeling it was his own nightmares keeping Andrew up. 

“I’m sorry.” It’s barely a whisper but Andrew catches it and scowls at Neil. 

He hands Neil his coffee before he takes his place beside him on the couch, the only light in the room coming from their ridiculous Christmas tree. Neil slumps into him almost immediately while taking in the warmth from the coffee mug. 

“The nightmares won’t always be so bad.” Andrew says almost a full ten minutes later, “It takes awhile to get over the fact you’re not there anymore and you never will be…so it’ll pass.” 

He’s instantly comforted by the words but can’t seem to find his own. Instead he takes a sip from his cup and lets out a long sigh, fighting the nightmare budding behind his eyes. Andrew wraps his arm around Neil’s shoulder pulling him closer and planting a kiss on top of his head. 

“Merry Christmas.” Neil finally says. 

“It’s December 10th.”

Neil shrugs, and Andrew kisses him again. 

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
